Fire TV and Echo Show lose YouTube as Google fires first salvo in rekindled war with Amazon

YouTube has vanished from Amazon’s Echo Show for the second time in four months in a move that will now also affect Amazon Fire TV.

Back in September, due to what was termed as a violation of the terms of service, YouTube disappeared from the Echo Show and consequently various products by Nest were removed from Amazon’s online marketplace. Nest and YouTube are owned by online giant Google.

While YouTube has already exited the Echo Show, users of Amazon Fire TV devices have until January 1, 2018 to enjoy the service. YouTube attributes the removal to Amazon’s reluctance to sell several Google products on its platform.

Google says that it has been trying to reach an agreement with Amazon to allow consumers to each other’s services and products while Amazon says that Google is taking a disappointing path and it hopes they can resolve the issue as soon as possible.

According to YouTube, Amazon has refused to carry Chromecast and Google Home which are Google products. Amazon has also denied Google Cast users, access to its much-sought-after Prime Video. Last month, Amazon removed some of Nest’s new products from its online platform. As a consequence of all these actions, YouTube says it has decided to stop support for the channel on both FireTV and the Echo Show.

Amazon on the other hand has said that it has provided a web-like view of YouTube on both FireTV and the Echo Show, pointing users back to the website and therefore blames Google for deciding to block access to what it calls an open website. However, it’s important to note that the terms of service for YouTube’s API explicitly requires developers to integrate the main features of YouTube’s experience on the web. This did not happen in the case of the Echo Show, whose users were unable to see related videos or subscribe to channels, creating the rift between the two companies.

This is the latest in the different fronts that the two giants are fighting on. In the smart speaker segment Amazon enjoys market dominance with its Echo devices that are powered by the digital assistant, Alexa. Google is racing against time as it rolls out several smart speakers in its quest to grab a share of the market. The two companies are therefore seeking reciprocal action on every step that benefits the other.

Fire TV and Echo Show lose YouTube as Google fires first salvo in rekindled war with Amazon was last modified: December 10th, 2017 by admin